The inventive subject matter generally relates to novel textile constructions. It particularly relates to the formation of textile constructs based on fusion of selected filaments, e.g. fibers or yarns, in a textile structure to selectively create in the structure a film on one surface or layer(s) while preserving the lattice structure, e.g., the knit or woven structure of an opposing side or adjacent layer. More particularly, the inventive subject matter provides a textile construct wherein thermoplastic yarns or fibers are melted to form a fused film on one side or layer of the construct while another side or layer is maintained in a discrete knitted structure. The fused film may provide a membrane side or layer that has desired attributes, such as one or more of waterproofness, water resistance, wind resistance, and breathability.
A great demand exists for multi-attribute performance textiles. This is especially true with regards to outdoor and active sportswear. For example, there is a great demand for garments that provide combinations for waterproofness, wind resistance, and breathability, along with typical durability, comfort, and aesthetic attributes. In such garments, some form of wind or vapor barrier needs to be introduced onto a carrier or base textile substrate. Conventionally, this may be achieved melt coating or adhesively laminating a film onto a knit, woven or non-woven textile substrate. The disadvantage of such conventional techniques include that the processes are multi-step and component process and a textile's breathability may be reduced because of the adhesives used to join barrier layers to body portions of a garment. Further, the extra processing steps add cost and time to the manufacturing process, and weight to the finished article. The conventional techniques also alter the material properties of the underlying textiles that may detrimentally affect the suppleness of the garment. The use of laminated materials and coated materials also create finished products where the assembled materials are prone to delamination and degradation.
Another drawback in the conventional techniques is that the extra materials used and the separate assembly steps after manufacturing of base textile materials results in wasted materials and energy from cutting of materials to patterns and assembly of the materials using stitched seams, coatings or adhesives, which may not be ecofriendly.